ballot

1 of 2

noun

bal·​lot ˈba-lət How to pronounce ballot (audio)
1
a
: a small ball used in secret voting
b
: a sheet of paper used to cast a secret vote
2
a
: the action or system of secret voting
b
: the right to vote
3
: the number of votes cast
4
: the drawing of lots

ballot

2 of 2

verb

balloted; balloting; ballots

intransitive verb

: to vote or decide by ballot
balloter noun

Did you know?

When people voted in ancient Athens, they dropped pebbles into an urn. Similarly, when voting was done by the people of Venice during the Renaissance, secrecy was assured by the use of little colored or marked balls. The Italian word for “little ball” is ballotta, from balla, meaning “ball,” and the diminutive suffix –otta. Now any kind of secret voting, by ball, piece of paper, or voting machine, is called a ballot. So is the right to vote itself.

Examples of ballot in a Sentence

Noun They cast their votes in a secret ballot. She was elected by secret ballot.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The state uses mail ballots as the default voting method and is often home to some of the last tight congressional races to be called. Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2025 There are, however, some officials who as needed can act as emissaries, even if the cardinals themselves cannot leave until a successful ballot is cast, meaning one cardinal receives two-thirds of the votes and is elected pope. Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
Tatis finished third in the National League MVP balloting in 2021 but missed the 2022 season due to wrist surgery and a suspension following a performance-enhancing drug test. Steve Berman, New York Times, 3 May 2025 Beale reportedly explained that three jurors will be balloted off, with a verdict being reached by the remaining 12. Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ballot

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Italian ballotta, from Italian dialect, diminutive of balla ball — more at balloon

First Known Use

Noun

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1603, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ballot was in 1549

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ballot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballot. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

ballot

1 of 2 noun
bal·​lot ˈbal-ət How to pronounce ballot (audio)
1
: a small ball or sheet of paper used to cast a secret vote
2
a
: the action or system of voting
b
: the right to vote
3
: the number of votes cast

ballot

2 of 2 verb
: to vote or decide by ballot
Etymology

Noun

from Italian ballotta "little ball (used in voting)," from balla "ball"

Word Origin
Small objects have long been used as a means of tallying votes. In ancient Greece, a word for "pebble," psēphos, came to designate any voting token, and then to mean simply "vote," from the practice of dropping a pebble into one of two urns as decisions were made in public assemblies. In medieval Venice, small balls were used in public lotteries and elections; in one such lottery, members of the city's Great Council would draw gold and silver balls from vases to determine nominating committees for officeholders. The word for "small ball" in the Venetian form of Italian was ballotta, which was extended to other tokens used in drawing lots and voting, such as scraps of linen or paper. Familiarity with Venetian customs led to the adoption of the word as ballot in English.

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